Good And Evil
by blacklotus21
Summary: In the face of the apocalypse, a hero must overcome insurmountable obstacles to save the Earth.
1. Chapter 1

Good and Evil

Sirens wailed faintly in the distance.

 _This can't be happening. This isn't happening…_

Connie Maheswaran shut her eyes tightly, quivering as she sat silently against the wall to her bedroom. With a deep breath, she sat up straight and listened again for the sounds of struggle. A single agonized cry pierced the cacophony outside her shattered bedroom window, exacerbating the churning sensation in her stomach.

"Even the butterflies in my stomach want to get out of here…" she mused dryly. Tightening her grip on the neck of her splintered violin, the closest thing to a bludgeon she was able to find, she rose to her feet and slowly moved to the entrance to her bedroom door. In a single daring motion, she jumped out into the hallway, brandishing her broken instrument. There were no signs of intruders, so she hastily tiptoed through the hall and down the stairs. Reaching the first floor of her ominously quiet abode, Connie brought the bout of her violin close to her head and carefully walked to the center of the room. The young girl surveyed her desolate surroundings.

The lights in the ruined house had all gone out hours ago, at the beginning of the attack. The golden radiance of the midday sun filtered through the window, bathing the wall in a haunting glow. Shattered portraits, broken décor, and crushed furniture were strewn around the house. A small noise caused Connie to whirl about, but she found the room deserted. Now thoroughly spooked, the brave child shifted her grip on the violin and walked into the kitchen.

The scene was similar to that of the living room. Cabinet doors and various kitchen implements were scattered about, barely visible in the murk. Taking a step forward, Connie's foot caught on an unseen obstacle, causing her to tumble to the ground. Craning her neck, she turned to find her mother sprawled across the kitchen floor. A kitchen knife lay a short distance from the doctor's outstretched arm, gleaming like her emotionless eyes as they remained fixed on the ceiling.

"Mom?" Connie whispered. Prinyanka Maheswaran was unresponsive.

"Mom?" the worried girl tried again. She knelt down and nudged her mother's shoulder. "Mom!" Still no response.

"Mom, please wake up!" she cried desperately, her caution all but forgotten. "We need to leave now! It's not safe here! Please get up! Please!" The truth finally sank in, and the panicked girl's pleas rapidly devolved to quiet sobbing.

"This just…" Connie choked out as tears blurred her vision. "I'm so…sorry mom. I should have been…I could have saved you. I could have stopped this…"

Another ominous noise interrupted the mourning girl's tragic train of thought. Connie quickly wiped her eyes, reached over, and picked up the kitchen knife. Standing, she brandished her new armament defensively and steeled her resolve. A loud thud emanated from the living room, followed by the sound of a vase breaking. The fearful girl considered her situation as the grim truth resonated in her mind.

 _There's only one way to get out of here…_

Connie slowly walked to the entrance to the living room and pressed her back against the wall. She took one final look at her mom's prone form. Every fiber of her being screamed for her to stay with her mother's body, but she denied the urge. Staying would mean the same fate.

"I'll miss you, mom. I… _sob_ …love you."

With a shuddering breath, the brave girl jumped out from behind the wall, only to be caught off-guard by a massive dark form surging towards her. The mysterious object barreled into her, slamming her into the remnants of the bookshelf. She looked up to find a massive, mangled gem mutant in front of her, its elongated arms flailing madly. The creature let out a series of stuttering screeches before charging at its newfound victim. Connie managed to sidestep the enraged creature, sending it crashing into the wall. With a deft strike, she severed one of the gem's hands with her knife, causing it to cry out in pain. The mutant turned, let out a scream, and charged its prey once more. The second attack was much more erratic, and Connie easily dodged. The gem barreled through the wall, causing the building to shake violently. A chunk of the ceiling fell onto the dazed creature, stirring up a cloud of dust and rubble. Coughing violently, Connie stumbled to the front door and out of her destroyed home.

The scene outside was no less desolate. The houses on the street had been reduced to piles of rubble. Small fires burned among the ruins, sending plumes of smoke billowing into the sky. From her vantage point, Connie could still see a gem ship flying overhead, seemingly uninterested in the few remaining survivors on the surface. A roar tore her attention away from the alien vessel. She spotted another gem mutant in the distance, and quickly ran to hide in a destroyed house. Confident that she hadn't been spotted, the young girl stopped to gather her wits.

The invasion had been swift and unexpected. Several hours ago, spaceships had appeared in the sky, their intentions unknown. Connie had been talking to Greg Universe in Beach City at the time. Remembering the recent attack on the seaside town, she had rushed to reach her house as quickly as possible. She had arrived just minutes before the first attack…

The roar came again, this time louder. Connie carefully peeked out from behind a broken wall. The mutant had stopped in the middle of the road and was looking around, its lone massive eye surveying the wreckage for signs of life. The creature let out a loud shout and pounded its unidentifiable appendage against the pavement, sending asphalt flying in all directions. Connie ducked behind the wall, trying desperately to remain as quiet as possible. The sound in the background seemed to fade away, replaced by the constant thumping of her beating heart. Her attention held by the creature, the terrified child accidentally stepped on a piece of rubble, and a _crack_ echoed through the silence. The hulking mutant stopped, let out another roar, and began to advance towards the concealed girl. Her breath grew increasingly shallow as the monster slowly advanced towards her hiding spot.

"Please don't find me, please don't find me, please don't find me…" was the only though that ran through Connie's mind as the gem ran it's club-like appendage across the wall concealing her. She momentarily considered launching a surprise attack, but buried the though almost immediately. The monster seemed to be more than a match for her; even a slight misstep could be fatal.

Without warning, the mutant let out a bellowing growl and pounded the wall violently. The blow made Connie's shoulders tense, and a surprised gasp escaped her. She stumbled forward and about-faced, readying herself mentally for the creature's attack. However, the monster continued to mindlessly batter the rubble as it spouted incomprehensible noises. Eventually it seemed to lose interest in the ruins, and slowly trudged away. Connie remained frozen for several minutes, listening as the sounds of the titanic mutant faded into the distance. Finally its thundering footsteps fell away, and the steady rhythm of her breathing returned.

"That was close," she expressed as she tentatively stood and tiptoed through the debris. The wind picked up as she emerged out on the street, howling through the ruined houses like a mourning specter. Connie surveyed the bleak scene for any signs of gem creatures. Nothing moved but a small dust devil and several flickering fires.

"If only Steven was here." she lamented forlornly. "He would be able to fix this…"

 _But he's dead now._

Guilt gripped the young girl as dismal thoughts roiled in her mind. Connie once again struggled to decide which was worse: that fact that Steven had been killed, or that she was personally responsible for his death. She had agonized over the events of the past week. How she had been easily captured by the gem assassin. How Steven had been lured into a trap while trying to save her. How he had nearly escaped with her, only to be brutally recaptured. Connie's final memories of the optimistic half-gem still haunted her. The look of unfathomable pain on his face as he was thrown off Lion's back. The mortified girl took some meager consolation in the fact that she hadn't watched his torturous demise…

Connie's mind snapped back to reality, and she found herself standing in the middle of the street, her emotions streaming down her face. Her survival instincts took over, and she immediately took a fighting stance. She found no indication of any other creatures, but she knew it wouldn't be safe for long.

"I can't stay here," she explained to no one in particular. The wind whistled its affirmation, gently whipping up the young girl's hair. Silently, Connie steeled her grip on the makeshift weaponry in her hands, rugged dedication coursing through her being. With measured steps, she began her journey into the remnants of a world she once knew.


	2. Travel

Travel

Desolation had overtaken the formerly bucolic road to Beach City. What had once been a quiet drive had devolved into a testament to the gem mutants' destructive capabilities. The road was shattered like glass; countless shards of asphalt jutted from the ground, making it impassable to any vehicles. The trees and foliage along the path had been uprooted and strewn about haphazardly, their verdant leaves wilting into shriveled brown husks. The dying foliage shone like fire under the fierce orange glow of the evening sky. Over the dismal scene hung the omnipresent howls of corrupted gems prowling their new domain, viciously hunting down any remaining humans. The terrifying echoes haunted Connie as she trudged through the barren wastes, her knife in hand. The determined girl's journey seemed to drag endlessly on through the inhospitable terrain. She stopped occasionally to examine an abandoned vehicle by the road or hide from a gem mutant. Battling exhaustion and constantly struggling to evade the gems, her physical and mental stamina were depleted.

"I don't remember this road being so long…" Connie mused as she took a bottle of water from her backpack, "…or dangerous." After a sip of water, she returned the bottle to the worn red bag, which she had found in the ruins of an abandoned house. After spending several hours scavenging supplies, the brave girl had been forced away from the wreckage by a group of gem mutants. The creatures had been fairly slow, and Connie found little difficulty in outrunning the shambling horde. Unfortunately, the sudden interruption left her with nothing more than a couple bottles of water, some Chaaaaaps, and a box of matches.

"I hope I can reach the city before it gets dark," she thought out loud. "I really don't want to be out here at night with those…" Her concern was punctuated by a wavering screech which cut through the scene's dystopian serenity.

"…things," she finished with a shudder. Not wanting to encounter another horrifying creature, she broke into a run. The haunting call of the alien hunter seemed to echo from within Connie's subconscious fears, following her no matter where she ran. One by one, more distorted voices began to join in the inescapable chorus, stirring apprehension in the fleeing girl's chest. She craned her neck as she ran, searching for any signs of pursuing gems. The area seemed devoid of life, which only compounded the fear gripping her. Her attention snapped forward and she noticed the top a hill a short distance away. Reaching the pinnacle, the young girl stopped running and took a knee to catch her breath.

"Whew," she said to herself, her voice a rasping whisper, "that…was really…exhilarating." She managed to recover after a short rest and a drink of water. Looking up, the young pilgrim was greeted with an unreal sight.

Far below her sat the glowing remnants of Beach City. The small town seemed to have been the epicenter of the invasion. The majority of the town had been leveled. Small, crumbling vestiges of buildings stood resolutely among small piles of rubble. Small fires burned among the refuse, sharply contrasted against the deep blue of the dimming skyline. Even from a distance, Connie could easily see several gem creatures wandering mindlessly about the desecrated city as they sought out fresh prey. Distracted by the apocalyptic scene, Connie's attention was pulled back to her current situation by a fierce cry resonating through the quiet night. She perked up and listened as the sound ended abruptly and came again, this time higher in pitch. It sounded close.

 _I need to hide._

Instinct gripped the worried girl and she dived into a small patch of bushes. She got into a crouching position, shook some leaves from her hair, and readied her small weapon. Concealed in the foliage, Connie peered out at where she had stood mere moments before. Much to her surprise, nothing came. As she waited silently, the ghastly cry died down, and the whistle of the wind once again swept over the haunting hill.

"Maybe it was nothing after…"

The brave girl's assertion was interrupted by a sudden rustling behind her. She immediately jumped up and whirled about, baring her knife threateningly. The source of the noise, a small bird, jumped back and stared at its new friend curiously.

"Oh," Connie commented with a sigh. "It's just a bird." She lowered her weapon and watched the small creature hop about a few times before fluttering into the air. The innocent creature let out a few mirthful tweets before flying away.

"Well, I should probably get going," Connie thought aloud as she stood and dusted off her overalls.

She turned around, only to come face-to-face with the gem mutant. The creature let out a roar, and its four blank eyes appeared to fill with incomprehensible hunger. Surprised by the monster, Connie stumbled backwards and fell roughly to the ground. Before she could get up, the mutant lashed out with a tentacle-like arm. She tried to avoid the attack, but the creature succeeded in wrapping its flailing appendage around her ankle. Before the startled girl could react, the crazed mutant whirled around and hurled her into the road. Struggling to get up, Connie managed to narrowly sidestep another swipe by the mutant. With a fluid motion, she thrust her knife into the gem's arm. The beast let out a pained roar before charging at her. Seeing the motion, the nimble girl rolled out of the way. The creature trampled the bush she had hid in before ramming into a piece of broken asphalt. Connie quickly considered whether to run or press the offensive. This momentary lapse in judgement cost her dearly. Recovering, the creature surged forward and slammed into her, sending her flying. Connie hit the ground and rolled several feet down the hill. Dazed by the attack, she lay on the ground and prayed desperately for her head to stop spinning. As the sounds of the creature drew closer, the severity of the situation seized her, and the will to survive overcame her exhaustion. Bolstering her resolve, she slowly stood, wincing at a painful gash on her shoulder. She surveyed her surroundings momentarily before breaking into a sprint down the hill. The mutant's garbled growling continued as it pursued her relentlessly, its myriad eyes fixated on the fleeing child. Connie continued down the hill as quickly as her legs would carry her, driven by desperation and terror. As she ran, the road steadily became more and more destroyed. Finally, she reached the bottom of the hill. Gasping for breath, she looked behind her to find the creature gaining on her.

"Will this thing ever give up?" she cried. In response, the monster released another roar and surged forward. Connie attempted to evade, but the gem's massive arm caught her in the chest. The force of the blow slammed her to the ground harshly and knocked her knife from her hands. Unable to regain her balance or catch her breath, Connie watched as the massive creature scuttled towards her prostrate form. The monster let loose another manic cry as it loomed over the worn girl. She took a shuddering breath, and tears came to her eyes.

"It can't end like this," she mourned weakly. "It just can't. Not after everything that happened." She tried to stand, but found her body unbearably heavy. A sob escaped her.

"It's all my fault," she lamented as the monster loomed over her. "I couldn't save Steven. I couldn't save mom or dad. I couldn't save anyone…" The gem mutant lifted its deformed arm up slowly, and Connie shut her eyes tightly. She took a deep breath in preparation for the end.

A gunshot rang out over the monster's cries. Much to Connie's surprise, the creature shambled away from her.

"Get away from her!" came an unfamiliar voice. Then another gunshot. The monster released a pained cry. A third gunshot came, followed by an indescribable noise. Connie tried to get up, but her body refused. Without warning, she felt herself being lifted into a sitting position. She slowly opened her eyes to find a short blonde woman staring at her with a concerned look. The injured girl rubbed her head and waited for her nausea to pass. Finally coherent, Connie looked over her impromptu savior. She was dressed in overalls, a torn green jacket, and red slippers. Leaning beside her was a dusty shotgun, the butt of which was covered in scratches.

"You gonna say something?" the blonde asked. "Did you hit your head?" Connie hesitated momentarily before responding.

"Oh, um…thank you for saving me," she answered with a small smile.

"Don't mention it," the mysterious markswoman mused. "The name's Vidalia. What are you doing wandering around on your own?"

"I'm Connie," the young girl offered. "I came to see if anyone else is still...okay."

"Well I can't speak for anyone else…" Vidalia responded. She picked up the worn shotgun and pumped it once. "…but I'm still here. What the heck are these things, anyway? They just kinda showed up after those weird ships came."

"They're called gems," Connie explained as she stood and dusted off.

"Oh!" Vidalia exclaimed with a smile. "I think I used to know one of them. Her name was Amethyst. We used to hang out."

"You knew Amethyst?" Connie questioned as she stooped to pick up her knife. Standing, she examined the blade. The tip had broken off, leaving a jagged edge.

"Yeah, I met when I used to hang out with Greg," her savior replied. "She was cool, so we started hanging out without him. I liked to use her as a model when painting. We actually ran into each other a short while back. Do you know if she's okay?" Connie hesitated. She didn't have the heart to admit Amethyst was likely dead.

"I…don't really know where she went," the sad child lied. "I haven't seen her in a while."

"Well," the blonde artist began, "if you see her, let her know that I'm doing okay." Her gaze fell to the injured girl's shoulder, and she frowned.

"That looks pretty bad," she continued, "and it's beginning to get dark. Why don't you come with me to my house…or what's left of it, anyway. I can patch you up." Connie looked down at the injury. The pain hadn't subsided, and it had begun to swell. Seeing no other option, she nodded. Without further discussion, the duo turned and headed towards Beach City.

 _Later…_

"Thank you again for your help," Connie said as she sat at a kitchen table examining her newly bandaged wound.

"No problem, kiddo," answered Vidalia as she adjusted the flashlight in the middle of the table. "Still, I never really appreciated electricity until it went out." Taking out another flashlight, she handed it to her young house guest. "Take this. You might need it."

"Thanks," Connie replied. She took the small item and placed it in her backpack."

"Sorry about the mess or lack of supplies," Vidalia commented. "I gave most of my spare stuff to my son Sour Cream when he and his brother went to search for his friends. I haven't heard from them in a while, though…" A sad look came to the friendly mother's face.

"I'll look for them while I'm searching for the others," Connie offered with half-hearted optimism.

"Thanks," her gracious host responded. "You can crash on the couch tonight. Well, goodnight!"

"Goodnight," the tired girl answered. She walked over to the ragged piece of furniture and set down her backpack. Struggling with the pain in her shoulder, she managed to lay down and find a comfortable position. Drained from the events of the day, she quickly drifted into a fitful sleep.


	3. Nights Are For

Nights Are For

"Woah!" Connie exclaimed as she stumbled through the sand, squinting in the dim light of the sunrise. Light glinted off the swirling waves, twinkling radiantly in the presence of their solemn visitor. It all seemed surreal.

 _I really need to watch my step._

Using the stock of the shotgun that Vidalia lent her, the weary girl steadied herself and looked up at the silhouette of the beach house in the distance. The structure seemed to hide shyly at the edge of the sunlit expanse, satisfied with its quiet solitude. Above it loomed the remnants of the gem temple, which stood resolutely against the silent morning sky as it guarded the minute abode below. Seeing the abandoned structures left a hollow feeling in Connie's chest as she slowly approached it. Nevertheless, she grimly ventured forward, driven by an incomprehensible emotion that tore at her.

As she reached the steps which led to the front porch, a shiver shot down her spine. She paused for a moment and readied her firearm before trudging up the wooden steps. The boards creaked woefully as she slinked towards the front door, her weapon pointed threateningly. Connie's hand trembled as she nervously lowered the barrel of her weapon and grabbed the front door. She pulled it open abruptly before regaining her defensive stance, only to find an empty house.

Exactly what she had expected.

As Connie closed the door and walked into the living room with her shotgun ready, she looked around the dreary house, taking in the silence which presided solemnly in the murk. Why had she been so worried?

"Connie?" Startled by the unexpected voice, she whirled about, nearly pulling the trigger. A specter stood above her, peering down from the loft of the beach house.

Connie froze. Her gun clattered to the floor.

Words eluded the shocked girl as she ran up the stairs, her caution momentarily forgotten. She reached the top and took a step forward. He looked exactly as she had remembered. His curly brown hair. His blue jeans and salmon t-shirt. And his wide, bright smile which seemed to light up the gloomy abode. Connie took a step forward, but quickly shrunk back.

 _He's not real. It's just another hallucination…_

Before she could react, the apparition ran up and wrapped her in a massive hug. Connie's breathe hitched in her throat as she realized he was real.

"Steven…" Her mind returned to reality, and she found herself returning the hug. After a long heartfelt moment, the duo released one another. Steven reached out and wiped a tear from Connie's cheek, smiling sympathetically as he watched her emotions flow. She pressed her head into his shoulder and cried out her pain and terror. Steven pulled her closer in a desperate attempt to console her.

"I…can't believe…you're okay," the relieved girl expressed between her broken sobs.

"It's great to see you again." Steven responded sweetly. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"B-b-but, how…" Connie choked out. "How did you escape? How did you survive?"

"Here," the half gem responded, producing a cup of water, "drink this. Let's sit down."

A few minutes later found the young heroes seated on the couch, happily getting reacquainted with one another.

"These gems look a lot like the ones we fought at the hospital?" Connie commented.

"Yeah, they do," Steven replied. "I think that they were all woken up by the gem ships."

"That would make sense," Connie mused with a smile. She stopped for a moment, relishing in the fact that her best friend had survived.

"I'm just…so relieved that you made it here okay," she said, looking down at the floorboards shyly. "I have so many things to ask you…"

"And I have a question for you," Steven retorted.

"Yeah?" the relieved girl replied quietly. The wind whipped up outside.

"Why didn't you save me, Connie?" the half-gem queried.

"What?" Connie asked, looking up from the floor. "What do you…ah!"

"Why didn't you save me," Steven asked coldly, his blank eyes gleaming with betrayal. He slowly reached out his hand, which was covered in bruises and lacerations. "Why didn't you come back for me? Don't you care about me?"

"W-what…I…I…" Connie stuttered as she jumped up and backed away, trembling in fear of the gruesome specter. The apparition stood and slowly advanced towards her, moaning and pleading for her to save it. As it trudged into the light, the horrified girl noticed a crystal dagger protruding from its shoulder, shining golden like the sun in the dim light.

"You could have saved me," it lamented gravely. "And you chose to let me die."

"No…," Connie replied as she struggled with tears. "I tried to…but I couldn't do it…"

"And what about us, sweetheart?" The mortified girl whirled around to find her parents looming menacingly before her. The couple took a step forward in unison, their expressions emotionless and empty. The faint light shone upon their ruined forms, skin cracked like porcelain.

"Why didn't you help me?" her mother questioned sternly.

"You left us both to die," her father chimed, his voice like whispering thunder.

"I didn't mean to!" Connie yelled as she frantically tried to escape the vengeful demons. "I really tried!" She turned towards the door, only to find Steven blocking her way. He looked up at her, and his gem began to pulsate with a deep red glow. He advanced towards his former friend, causing her to back against the wall.

"Why?" Connie pleaded as the specters approached her. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because you betrayed them, dear," came the answer. Connie's attention snapped to the source of the voice She found a single pale gem reclining on the couch, smiling cordially at the unholy scene. She tried to speak, to cry out at the diabolical intruder, but her voice seemed lost in the shifting shadows.

"Or maybe…" the gem continued, "…deep down, you wanted them to die. You were jealous of your friend and angry at your parents. You just wanted to make them pay for what they did. Revenge. Pure and simple."

"N-n-no…I…" Connie tried to reply, "…they were…that's not…"

"Shhhh," the vile intruder interrupted calmly. "Don't worry child. It will all be over soon." The terrified girl stood still, paralyzed by fear. In a flash, instinct took over and she raised her gun in defense. The gem surged forward before she could fire it, and the firearm was promptly ripped from her grasp. With a swift motion, her assailant grabbed the gun by the barrel and swung, slamming the stock of the weapon into her cheek. Connie stumbled back against the wall, dazed by the force of the blow. She tried to regain her balance, but the pale alien promptly beat her down again. The hurt girl took a shuddering breath and sat up, only to find the barrel of the gun pressed against her forehead.

"Now," her assailant said cruelly. "Ready to join them?" Once again, words eluded Connie.

"Goodbye, sweetheart," the cruel alien said, mimicking Steven's sympathetic smile as she pulled the trigger.

 _BANG!_

Connie shot up, shivering and panting heavily. She noticed that she had been crying, and promptly wiped her eyes as they adjusted to the darkness. After a few moments her vision cleared, and she looked around the unlit room. She was lying on the couch in Vidalia's house, her arms wrapped around her backpack. The frightened child sat up and yawned widely.

It was just another nightmare.

They seemed to come every night now. Every time she saw the same two people: Steven and the gem that killed him. Her parents were new, but she wasn't surprised. And each nightmare ended the same way…

Suddenly, something unusual caught her attention. Connie perked up and listened quietly for a few moments. Sure enough, she could faintly make out a persistent noise from upstairs.

 _Thump thump thump thump…_

Worried by the unusual noise, Connie stood and looked around the room. She seemed to be alone, save her own subconscious demons. Reaching over, she grabbed the kitchen knife and walked over to the entrance to the kitchen. Her knifed poised, she swiftly jumped into the silent room. She found the kitchen devoid of any intruders. The ominous noise persisted, and Connie spent no time in reaching the ravaged stairwell. With baited breath, she made her way upstairs.

Light filtered through small holes in the ceiling, faintly illuminating the hallway upstairs. The sound seemed to grow in intensity, causing Connie to shift her grip on the knife. The worried girl listened momentarily before creeping down the hall. Her heart seemed to beat in unison with the mysterious noise as she slowly advanced in the shadows. The noise seemed to emanate from a room ahead. Connie walked up and peered inside to find a figure silhouetted in the darkness.

"Vidalia?" she asked apprehensively. "Is that you?"

"I'm right here kiddo," came the response. Connie whirled around to find the kind woman standing in the hallway with her shotgun and a flashlight. "What're ya doin' up so late? You need something?"

"Sorry," Connie replied quietly. "I heard something up here and figured I'd investigate. I think I saw someone in this room." Vidalia walked up and pointed her light into the dark area. Much to Connie's surprise, she found nothing but a broken bed and shards of broken glass scattered about the floor.

"There's nothing here," Vidalia commented with a chuckle. "You must just be tired from everything that's happened. C'mon, let's go downstairs."

"Yeah, that must be it," Connie agreed. She wondered whether she might be going crazy…

Before she could follow Vidalia, something grabbed her by the leg. Connie let out a scream as she was dragged into the murky recesses of the room. Squirming, she tried to free herself from the concealed aggressor.

"Vidalia!" she cried as she kicked her hidden assailant. "Help!"

"Connie!" came the artist's voice, followed by the patter of footsteps. Vidalia burst into the room, her gun and flashlight at the ready. Looking down, Connie could finally make out her attacker's features.

The writhing olive-green gem mutant tightened its grip, its numerous mouths frothing and gurgling sickeningly. Using her knife, Connie reached down and sliced through the gem's thin, disfigured arm. It let out a shrill cry as its severed appendage fell to the floor. The panicked girl quickly crawled away from the mutant, her heart pounding like a drum. She watched as Vidalia took aim and fired her weapon at one of the creature's mouths. This time, the alien evaded the shot and jumped, digging its hands into the ceiling. Connie watched as the creature shuddered and thrashed its teeth. Before she could get up, it pounced at her with frightening speed. Another gunshot rang out, and the gem was blasted to the ground. It thrashed about and screeched manically. Seeing an opportunity, Connie jumped towards the creature and swung down with her knife. The blade planted firmly in the monster's midsection, inducing a high-pitched cry from the mutant. She lifted the weapon and struck again, evading the gem's frantic attempts to disarm her. With one final stroke, she sunk the blade into one of the mouths, causing the maddened alien to disappear. Sitting back, the drained girl let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. She watched as Vidalia walked up to the small gemstone on the ground, aimed her shotgun, and shattered it with a single shot.

"You have to do it or they get right back up," the artist explained. "That's how we lost Yellowtail…" A tear came to Vidalia's eye, but she quickly wiped it away.

"You should go back to bed," the artist stated, her mind clearly elsewhere. "You have a big day ahead of you." Connie remained fixated on the shards of the shattered gem, which gleamed among the shattered glass fragments like a macabre mosaic.

She doubted that sleep would come again.


	4. Cry For Help

Cry For Help

"Are you sure you're up for this?" Vidalia questioned as she watched Connie pack her supplies. "It's really dangerous out there, and you're still hurt kiddo."

"Yeah," Connie replied quietly as she mentally checked what meager supplies she had left. Her mind had been wandering aimlessly all morning, randomly switching between her travel preparations and strained thoughts of the horrifying prior evening. Her haunting dream still pervaded her waking thoughts; no matter how the young girl tried to distract herself, the evil gem's words persisted in the silence of her tormented thoughts.

… _deep down, you wanted them to die._ Connie swallowed hard and forced the mocking voice from her subconscious. She couldn't seem to remember the gem's name.

"…Connie? You okay, kiddo?" came Vidalia's voice from the edge of the disturbed girl's awareness. She turned to find the aging artist staring at her with concern, her shotgun and a small plastic bag in hand.

"Yeah," Connie replied. She managed a small smile in an attempt to look convincing. Her response only seemed to exacerbate Vidalia's concern.

"You're still shaken up over last night, huh?" the sympathetic woman asked.

"I guess," Connie responded, her voice trailing off. Without warning, Vidalia pushed the plastic bag into her hands. She looked at the small parcel to find a roll of gauze, a few batteries, a flashlight, and some food.

"You don't need to…" she began.

"Just shut up and take it," Vidalia interjected. "If you're going out there, you'll need it."

"Thanks," Connie said. She quickly packed the small bag into the top pocket of her backpack.

"Also, here," added Vidalia tersely. Connie looked up to find her host holding out her shotgun. The young girl's nightmare once again resurfaced, and she resisted the overwhelming urge to push the weapon away.

"No, I can't take that," Connie refused adamantly. "You…you need to protect yourself, too." Vidalia looked into her worried guest's eyes. Something unsettling seemed to swirl in her piercing gaze. Seeing her refusal would not change, the artist retracted her weapon and watched Connie as she continued to pack her supplies. Finally, the worried girl finished her preparations. Grabbing her small knife, she hoisted the backpack over her shoulder and walked to the front door of the ravaged abode. With her hand on the doorknob, she turned back to Vidalia one final time. The friendly artist gave her a confident smile and a thumbs-up.

"Hey, if you see my boys," she commented, "tell them to come back home."

"I will," Connie promised. Without another word, she crossed the threshold of the door, emerging out into the unpredictable, desolate landscape of outer Beach City. The sun had just barely risen over the horizon. In the young light, the destroyed buildings cast long, asymmetric shadows, which stretched down the road as if trying to escape the ruined town. Connie quickly took note of her surroundings, searching for any sign of hostile gems. The area seemed clear, but she remained alert.

 _Just because I can't see them doesn't mean that I'm safe_ …

Her knife in hand, Connie took a deep breath and began walking towards the center of town. As the brave child trudged through the ruined cityscape, she wondered what to do once she reached the boardwalk. Connie hadn't really taken the time to concoct a detailed plan. Her choice to travel to Beach City had resulted from her need to escape her neighborhood; beyond arriving at the seaside town, she had no clue how she would survive the apocalyptic situation, let alone fix it. Connie reached back and grabbed her bottle of water. As she took a drink, a piercing cry pierced the silence which hung over the town. Without thinking, Connie ran to the nearest building to take cover. She ducked behind a wall just as the noise came again, this time higher in pitch. From her hiding spot, Connie could hear the sound of a gem mutant scrabbling through the cracked asphalt of the road. The scared girl sat perfectly still for what felt like an eternity, hoping desperately to avoid another dangerous encounter. Finally, the sound of the creature faded, and she slowly came out of her hiding place. Connie peered down the road, letting out a sigh of relief as she found no sign of the extraterrestrial creature. She quickly considered her options. By the sound of the monster's steps, it had been traveling towards the center of Beach City. If she continued down the road, she risked encountering the creature. Connie quickly considered her options.

 _I can't afford to run into…whatever that was._

Cursing her ill fortune, she turned and walked away from the road in search of another route. Connie continued to walk until the street was out of sight, pausing once to adjust her backpack and take another drink. Satisfied that she was safe, Connie turned and continued in between the destroyed buildings, keeping close to the walls. She slinked about the shadows like an assassin, her knife readied in case of an ambush. Much to her surprise, no gem creatures appeared as she wandered the city; she wondered whether the aliens were hiding in order to ambush unsuspecting humans. She slowed her pace and lowered her stance, searching the area for any sign of the mutants. Once again, her search yielded no results. She quickly considered that they might have run out of humans to hunt. She desperately hoped that wasn't the case.

Rounding a corner, Connie finally reached what appeared to be the edge of the boardwalk. She recognized the remnants of a few buildings she had visited with Steven. Taking stock of her situation, Connie's stomach grumbled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten in a while. She jogged into the ruins in search of a safe resting place, and after a short while managed to find a spot which was hidden from view. Satisfied with her newfound sanctuary, the hungry girl sat down, took off her backpack and grabbed the plastic bag Vidalia had given her. Inside she found a sandwich and a bag of Chaaaaaps. She took an eager bite of the sandwich, remaining alert for any errant noises. The town remained eerily quiet. Without the usual hustle of tourists and the residents, the city took on the ambience of a graveyard. Even the seagulls had ceased their incessant songs, leaving the beachside town to wallow in its quiet ruination. Connie took another bite and frowned as she remembered the many enjoyable trips she had taken to Beach City. The haunting atmosphere made her feel as if she was on another planet.

As she was about to take another bite from her sandwich, a noise echoed through the deserted boardwalk. Connie perked up and listened for the sound. Something seemed peculiar about the noise; it didn't sound like any gem mutant she had encountered. Suddenly, a slightly different cry rang out. She quickly identified the noise as a gem creature. The first noise came again, this time louder and higher-pitched. It came again, and Connie began to wonder if it was a survivor.

 _Maybe I…I should go check it out…_

Taking one last bite of her food, Connie shoved the Chaaaaaps and the last of the sandwich into her backpack and stood up. She ran out into the street and listened again for the sound. She heard it once more, and took off towards it. As she ran, the noise became increasingly audible. Finally, the curious child was able to discern what it was.

 _Someone is calling for help!_

Connie quickened her pace, desperate to save the enigmatic survivor. She ducked between two buildings and shifted her grip on the knife, caution overtaken by determination. Emerging on the street, she realized that the source of the noise was from within a nearby building. She wasted no time in reaching the tenuous structure. Much to her dismay, the entrance had collapsed. The cry for help came once again, and the urgency of the situation made the brave girl's heart beat faster. She looked around desperately for a way inside, but found no entrance. Without hesitating, she ran around to the other side of the building in search of a way inside. Much to her relief, she found a massive hole in one of the walls. Connie dashed forward, stepped inside, and froze.

In the middle of the room was a massive, legless gem mutant, which hung from the ceiling with its countless hands. A ring of mouths surrounded its body, gnashed and roaring as its remaining, deep blue arms writhed aimlessly in the air. Looking around, Connie found a small blonde boy pressed against the far wall of the room, cowering helplessly in the face of the terrifying gem creature. His white sleeveless shirt was streaked with dirt and grime, and tears streamed down his cheeks as he shivered uncontrollably. Looking up, the terrified child noticed Connie behind the gem, and his wild eyes widened.

"Help!" he cried. "Help me!" The gem creature advanced towards him, its mouths roaring in an otherworldly chorus of nightmarish agony. Seeing the boy in danger, Connie surged forward and swung with her knife, severing several of the gem's arms. The creature cried out and reversed direction without turning around. Caught by surprise, Connie failed to evade the monsters flailing appendages. It grabbed her, whirled around, and threw her into the remnants of a table. Connie stood and assumed a fighting stance.

"Get out of here!" she yelled at the boy cowering in the corner. He noiselessly stood and tried to scurry to the hole in the wall. Seeing this, the gem tried to swipe at him, but found itself parried by Connie's knife. She jumped back as it attempted to counterattack. The blonde boy jumped outside and turned around, watching the fight with baited breath. Suddenly, the azure creature dropped from the ceiling and landed on its hands. It let out a single, piercing screech before charging at its new opponent. Unable to dodge, Connie took a defensive stance and braced herself. The insane monster rammed into her, carrying her through the wall into an ally. Connie tried to escape, but found herself constricted by the mutant's mass of arms. The beast roared, leaned forward, and sank its teeth into her ankle, eliciting a cry from the brave girl. She swiped desperately with her knife in an attempt to free herself from the gem's clutches. The blade severed several of the creature's hands, causing Connie to fall to the ground painfully. She rolled over and clutched her injured leg, wincing as pain flared in the wound. She gasped and looked up to see the gem hanging over her. The monster dug its hands into the alley walls and hoisted itself over its injured prey. With an enraged growl, it plummeted towards the hurt girl. In an impulsive act of self-defense, Connie thrust her knife upward in an attempt to stop the monster. The gem slammed into her, and her blade dug into its body. Connie struggled as the weight of the monster began to smother her. She gasped and squirmed under the weight of the massive creature. As the air was pressed from her lungs, her vision began to blur and waver. In a final, desperate gambit, she grabbed the handle of the knife with both hands and pressed it into the monster with all her remaining strength. The blade sunk deep into the creature, which disappeared in a _poof_. Connie rolled over and began gasping for breath, wincing as pain rushed through her chest. She tried to stand, but failed to muster enough strength. Dizziness roiled through her head, causing her to moan in pain. She barely managed to utter a meager plea for help before darkness overtook her.


	5. Human Beings

Human Beings

A disjointed voice echoed in the recesses of Connie's consciousness, dancing at the edge of her awareness as she tried to gather her wits.

"…wake up, we need to…"

The battered girl opened her eyes slowly and winced as her field of vision focused and blurred wildly. A rough push on her shoulder caused her to turn, and she noticed a young boy kneeling by her, desperately trying to get her attention.

"…they're almost here…" came his voice, the words difficult to discern. Before the young swordswoman could answer the muffled statement, she found herself being lifted up. She managed to get into a sitting position, and her mind suddenly came into focus. An inexplicable vigor seemed to surge through the world around her, followed by a gripping sense of dread as the severity of the situation once again came to her. She turned to the boy beside her, who continued to yell frantic warnings in an attempt to get her attention.

"…there's a whole bunch of them coming!" he cried while continuing to shake her shoulder. "We need to get away from here! C'mon! Get up! We need to leave _now_!" As if to punctuate his desperation, the cries of several gem creatures rang through the ruined streets. Connie stared at the blonde boy for a few moments as her head continued to clear. She nearly asked his name before the dire situation pushed away the thought.

 _I don't have time to sit and talk_.

She reached over and picked up her knife before grabbing her terrified companion by the arm. Connie tried to stand, but the pain in her ankle proved to be insurmountable. She let out a pained cry and clutched the agonizing wound. Without another word, her troubled companion helped her to her feet, and the duo took off down the street. They dashed down the destroyed boardwalk, their flight haunted by the roars of ravenous alien mutants. The sounds drowned out Connie's frantic thoughts as she ran through the town, hell-bent on finding a place to hide. Rounding a corner, she stumbled briefly as her companion halted abruptly.

"In there!" he yelled, pointing to her right. Connie turned her head to see the ruins of a destroyed shop a short distance away. Several loud noises rang out, signaling the approach of gems. The duo exchanged glances before surging forward and diving through a hole in the wreckage. A wave of pain shot through Connie's wounded ankle, but the desperate girl bit back a pained cry. Without thinking, she grabbed the panicked boy and crawled behind the remnants of an unidentifiable machine to avoid detection. She listened as the sounds of passing gems grew closer. Finally, the incomprehensible cacophony reached its crescendo as the monsters seemed to halt outside. Connie noticed movement out of the corner of her vision. Her attention snapped to their entry point, where she found a single vermillion gem peering into the destroyed building.

"How…" her friend began to whisper. Connie immediately clasped her hand over his mouth and scooted further into the shadows. The noise caused the creature to turn its three-eyed gaze towards her direction. The monster chittered menacingly and slinked into the murky recesses of the ruins, its massive claws gleaming like polished silver. It slowly stalked through the decrepit remnants until it came to the pile of refuse concealing the two young humans. An urge to flee tore at every fiber of Connie's being, but she fought back the impulse. Any attempt to escape would mean death. She looked over at her companion, who shivered quietly as tears spilled from his eyes. The young girl readied her knife and prepared to attack. However, much to her relief, the gem creature failed to discover the two hidden children. Connie listened to the sounds of the monster as it turned and exited the broken-down structure. The incessant clamor of the creatures slowly faded until only the sounds of the wind remained. Satisfied that they were safe, Connie turned to her terrified savior. The blonde boy continued to huddle against the ravaged chunk of machinery, unaware of his surroundings amidst his hysterics. Seeing her friend's distress, Connie reached out and gently placed her hand on his shoulder. His head snapped up, and his frightened eyes bore into her. Connie managed a small smile.

"It's okay," she stated calmly, "I think they're gone. We should be safe." The boy sat frozen for a few moments before wiping his eyes and returning the grin.

"…yeah…" he answered slowly. The boy shuddered as another cry rang out. He looked around nervously for a few moments before returning his attention to Connie "Thanks for saving me."

"Sure. Thanks for returning the favor," Connie replied as she examined her wounded ankle.

"No problem," the boy greeted. "I'm Peedee." His eyes wandered around the destroyed building once more, and he frowned.

"I'm Connie," replied the brave girl. She followed his gaze outside, where a few fragments of a sign lay scattered about the torn boardwalk. "What is this place?"

"This used to be Beach Citywalk Fries," he answered with a sigh. "My dad, my brother, and I used to work here." Connie looked around, and a pang of sympathy swelled in her chest.

"I'm sorry," she consoled. She watched Peedee give her a confused look. Realization came to him, and his eyes widened.

"Oh, no, they're not dead," he explained. "they're with the others." Connie looked up at him inquisitively, hopeful at the prospect of other survivors.

"Other people escaped?" she asked. "Where did they go?"

"After the first attack, a lot of people were prepared for an invasion," Peedee answered. "When the monsters came, a few of us managed to escape. We all hid out at the lighthouse. It's been pretty quiet over there, and we managed to get enough supplies to camp out." Connie managed a smile. For the first time since the invasion began, things seemed to be looking up.

"Most of the others were pretty confused over where these things came from. We don't know why they're going after us or what they want," Peedee explained. "My brother was actually pretty excited about the whole thing. He couldn't stop talking about how his blog was going to be famous and how his theories had come true. One of the things crushed his laptop, though, so he couldn't get to his blog. I'm just wondering where Steven went. He just disappeared right before this all began."

"He's probably off somewhere," Connie commented, her nonchalant response belying inner turmoil. "What are you doing down here, then?"

"I…wanted to come back here." Peedee explained timidly. "Dad told me not to, but…I just wanted to see if anything was left."

"I understand," Connie said empathetically. "It was hard for me to leave my home. I really wanted to stay, but the gems were too dangerous."

"What about your family?" Peedee asked, unaware of Connie's discomfort. "Did they escape too?"

Connie felt her throat constrict at her companion's well-intended inquiry. Vivid memories of her mother's grisly demise resurfaced. All at once, the room around her began to feel cold. Connie looked over to her right, and her eyes went wide. Her mother's corpse lay a few feet away, her limbs splayed errantly. The frightened girl scooted back, mortified by the visceral scene. Tears filled her eyes as she continued to back away. Suddenly, her back hit the wall, and a rasping sob escaped her. A hand clamped down on her shoulder, and she looked up to see Peedee's form, blurred by the unrelenting tears drowning her vision. His voice rang out, piercing her terror.

"Connie!" he yelled. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" The young girl stared up at him blankly before wiping away the tears. She looked the room over but found no sign of her mother's body. Turning back to her friend, Connie winced at the deep concern in his features.

"Are you alright?" he inquired, worry permeating his voice. Connie stifled one final sob.

"Y-yeah," she answered, mustering a meager smile. "I just…miss them."

"I'm so sorry," Peedee sympathized. "That must have been hard." Connie failed to respond.

"Let me know if there's anything I can do," he offered.

"Thanks," she replied quietly. The duo sat silently for a short while until Peedee broke the silence.

"We should probably get back to the lighthouse," he asserted. "Those things might come back, and I don't want to be here when they do." His words rang in Connie's mind, triggering memories of her recent encounters with the crazed mutants. Their dire situation once again came to the forefront of her mind.

"You're right," she agreed. "Let's get going." Peedee walked over and helped Connie to her feet. The two exchanged nervous looks before exiting the building.

The sun sat directly overhead, bathing the boardwalk in warm sunlight. A sea breeze blew through the town, whipping up small debris and carrying the salty ocean scent through the deserted city. Connie and Peedee found themselves smiling at the momentarily peaceful scene. Refocusing, Connie took a step forward and winced as pain flared in her injured ankle. Seeing this, Peedee helped her adjust her hold on his shoulder. With a sense of confidence, the pair turned and started down the boardwalk, walking in each other's stride. Connie held her knife menacingly in one hand, still concerned about the prospect of gem mutants. Rounding a corner, her worst fears were confirmed.

A lanky, headless gem stood in the middle of the road, absent-mindedly shambling through the rubble. The creature turned to the pair, and silently broke into a sprint towards them. Seeing the incoming danger, Connie let go of her companion and took a shaky step forward and assumed a wobbly fighting stance. Peedee scrambled back, unsure of how to stop the monster. The giant monster quickly closed the distance between itself and the surprised children. Slowing its pace, the creature swung its elongated arm in a wide motion, knocking Connie to the ground. The brave girl winced as her ankle hit the ground roughly. She rolled forward and recovered, her blade held defensively. The monster's second swipe met the edge of her knife, causing it to stumble back noiselessly. Connie pressed her advantage in an attempt to close the distance.

As she approached the distracted alien, a surge of pain shot through her ankle, causing her to trip. She hit the ground and rolled, stopping a short distance from the crazed mutant. The thin marauder jumped with alarming alacrity and tackled the fallen girl, pinning her to the ground. She looked up at her brutal attacker to find a blank eye in each of its palms, staring down at her with animalistic viciousness. Connie struggled under the weight of her massive attacker. Without warning, the mutant swiftly landed a punch to her stomach, forcing the air from her lungs. It attacked again, landing a strong blow to her cheek. Connie brought up her hands to shield herself from the assault. The monster continued its relentless attack, driven by a primal urge. Just as her defenses began to falter, Connie felt the creature's weight shift. She looked up to find it focused on Peedee, who was brandishing a hunk of rubble defensively. Seizing the window, Connie swung her knife, piercing one of the creature's palms. The gem whirled about, turning its attention to the hurt girl. Connie fiercly swung towards the gemstone in the creature's midsection. The monster's arm hit the knife just as it reached its target, shattering the blade and the gemstone simultaneously. The monster stood and shook uncontrollably before bursting into a formless cloud.

Connie panted erratically in an attempt to catch her breath. In an instant, Peedee was behind her, helping her to her feet. The kind boy allowed her to regain her balance before giving her a silent nod. Connie returned the gesture, and the two set off quickly down the road.

 _Later…_

The duo arrived at the entrance of the lighthouse; much to Connie's surprise, the structure seemed relatively unharmed. She looked at Peedee, who let out a relieved sigh.

"Well, we're here," he said. "Let's get inside before we run into another one of those things."

Connie said nothing. She wondered who was left.


	6. The Lighthouse

The Lighthouse

Connie winced with each measured step as she made her way up the winding staircase. Her toe caught the edge of a stair and she stumbled, causing a flash of pain to surge through her injured ankle. The injured girl tightened her grip on Peedee's shoulder and shifted her weight in order to regain her balance.

"Are you okay?" he queried, quickly helping the wounded girl to steady herself.

"Yeah," she replied with a small smile. "It…just hurts a little." Peedee quickly returned the smile, and the duo continued upward towards the top of the lighthouse. The quiet structure sat serenely atop the hill, watching the cycle of the tide with unwavering vigilance. During the invasion of Beach City, the structure had remained largely unscathed, making it the perfect hiding spot for any survivors. Even from the stairwell, Connie could hear the faint sound of voices and the patter of footfalls above. A feeling of optimism swelled in her chest, and she continued upward with renewed vigor. She had been relieved upon hearing that some residents had survived; after the brutal attack on her neighborhood, Connie had begun to worry about the fate of Beach City's residents.

Reaching the top of the stairwell, Peedee opened the door and ushered her into a room. Giving him a thankful nod, she stepped inside and looked around. Sleeping bags and miscellaneous items were scattered haphazardly about the small round room. On the far side of the room, she found a pile of food and other supplies. A small circle of survivors sat on the side of the room, engaged in discussion. One of them looked up at the young duo, and his eyes widened.

"Peedee!" he exclaimed as he stood up. All eyes turned to the two disheveled children, and the atmosphere in the room seemed to freeze.

"Dad!" the blonde boy replied gleefully. Peedee ran forward into the waiting arms of his father, who pulled him into a massive hug. Connie watched as another survivor from the circle ran up and joined the group hug.

"Where were you, bro?" the second survivor asked, his voice an amalgam of excitement and fear.

"I…went back to the shop," Peedee responded quietly. His father let him go and knelt down.

"I told you not to go out there alone," he explained. "It's not safe with those things crawling around. Your brother and I…we all…thought one might have gotten you."

"Sorry dad," Peedee answered quietly. "I just wanted to see what was left."

"Did any of the aliens attack you?" Rolando questioned, curiosity brimming in his eyes.

"Yeah," Peedee replied. "I wouldn't have escaped if she hadn't saved me." He turned and pointed to Connie, who was leaning against the wall. The injured girl froze as all eyes in the room turned to her. She managed a small smile and a nervous, "hello." The room fell silent for a few moments before one of the seated survivors spoke up.

"Hey…aren't you Steven's friend?" Connie turned to find a brown-haired teen staring up at her, one eye cocked in a half-interested inquisitive stare. She nodded.

"Yeah," Connie offered. Her eyes widened as she recognized the nonchalant survivor. "Wait, I remember you! I saw you at the donut place. It's…Lars, right? I remember you and Sadie worked together." The friendly girl watched as a mournful look crossed the teen's face. He averted his gaze before getting up and walking to the other end of the room. She considered following him, but her train of thought was interrupted by another voice.

"Are you okay? You don't look so good." Connie's attention snapped to the source of the voice, a teen girl standing a short distance from her.

"Yeah," she replied. "I just hurt my leg fighting off one of the monsters.

"We have some bandages and supplies," replied the teen. "Stay here. I'll go get something to help patch you up. I'm Jenny, by the way"

Connie nodded and watched as the friendly teen walked over to a pile of supplies and began digging through it. She sat down against the wall and stretched out, her leg protesting the movement. A yawn escaped her, and she felt her eyes growing heavy. Worn out by her lack of sleep and the hectic day she had just endured, the young girl quickly fell into a deep sleep.

 _Later…_

A breeze whipped through Connie's hair, causing her to stir. She rubbed her eyes and turned over, pulling the blanket closer.

 _Blanket?_

Connie's eyes opened slowly, only to be greeted by the pitch-black veil of night. She sat up slowly and rubbed her eyes as they slowly adjusted to the darkness hanging around her. After a short while she managed to make out her surroundings. She was still in the lighthouse, tucked into a makeshift bed. The tired girl stretched and carefully stood up; much to her surprise, no pain shot through her ankle. She looked down to find a clean bandage wrapped around the wound. She smiled, remembering Jenny's offer to tend to her injured ankle. The teen had probably wrapped it while she was asleep.

Looking around, Connie found the other residents scattered about the room, all of them fast asleep. Feeling restless, Connie scanned the dimly lit room. Her eyes fell on an opening in the gallery above her. Being careful not to wake anyone, she tiptoed across the room, wincing as one of the floorboards let out a loud _creak_. No one stirred, thankfully, and Connie wasted no time in getting up to the opening.

A strong ocean breeze whipped up around the top of the lighthouse, carrying the scent of smoke and the salty ocean across the empty beach. From atop the lighthouse, Connie could see the waves roiling mindlessly against the shore, blissfully unaware of the desolation which raged beyond the sand. Occasionally, the roar of a gem would echo through the night, rallying a chorus of incomprehensible cries which would quickly die down. Looking around, Connie quickly realized she wasn't alone. A lone individual leaned against the railing, watching the waves glimmering under the light of the full moon. A forlorn air hung about him as he watched the tide, his mind clearly elsewhere. Connie stood silently, taken aback by his solemn demeanor. She summoned the courage to break the silence, but found her words caught in her throat. She stood noiselessly, watching the absent-minded man as he continued to ignore her. Finally, the disturbed girl found her voice.

"Mr. Universe?" At her voice, the musician's attention snapped back to reality, and he quickly recognized the worried girl.

"Connie?" he asked. "What are you doing awake?"

"I couldn't sleep?" she answered. "It's good to see you again."

"You too," he replied. "How did you get here?"

"I walked," explained Connie. "My house was attacked by one of the gems. It…it got my mom and dad. I tried to save them…but I just…I ran away." Greg watched as the hurt girl struggled with tears, and a pang of sympathy hit him.

"I'm sorry, kiddo." he said, sadness permeating his tone. "I know that must have been hard."

"Thanks," Connie responded dejectedly. The conversation seemed to fade into the night, and they resigned to watch the ocean waves. After a while, the monotony of the sea began to wear on Connie. Just as she was about to break the silence, Greg spoke up.

"Have you seen Steven?" Connie felt her chest tighten, and nausea began to linger in her head.

"I…haven't seen him for a long time. Last time I was with him was after some crazy gem tried to hurt him. I saved Steven, and we drove to Keystone to escape, but he disappeared overnight, and I haven't seen him since. I've been really worried about him. It isn't like him to just disappear. I figured he might be with you…" Looking over, he noticed Connie wiping tears from her eyes. She didn't a word. Her agonized expression and tearful gaze bore in his, and a hollow feeling welled in Greg's chest.

"What…what happened to him?" Connie opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was a stuttered sob. Finally, the emotional strain of recent events overcame her meager attempt to keep calm, and the pained girl broke down. Greg watched as the kind child slumped to her knees and continued to cry, her desire to keep quiet all but forgotten. The sympathetic father slowly knelt down and placed a hand on the bawling girl's shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. Without thinking, Connie buried her head in his shoulder. The aging musician remained frozen, taken aback by the sudden rush of emotions from the young girl.

"I… _sob_ …I tried…the gem…" Connie choked out between sobs.

"Calm down," Greg said in measured tones as he held the hysterical girl. "Tell me what happened." Connie tried to stifle her emotions, but rapidly devolved into bawling and hiccupping once again. Greg pulled the mourning girl close, trying his best to comfort her. He waited patiently as she released her pent-up emotions and fears. For a long time they remained still in the cold night air, unobserved by all but the brilliant moon. Finally, Connie's crying reduced to stifled sobs, and Greg felt her tension disperse. Wiping her eyes, Connie continued her story

"I…the gem that attacked Steven…ambushed me at… _hiccup_ …his house," she explained, struggling to hold back her emotions. "It used my phone…to lure Steven into a trap in…Beach City." She paused to wipe away the last of her tears.

"Your phone…" Greg repeated in disbelief. "So when he left…you were never in danger at all."

"She took us…" Connie continued, "…to some floating mountain. She said she was going to kill Steven and I. We tried to escape, but she…she caught Steven... _sob_. I-I-I tried to…I tried to go back for him, but he was already…" Greg remained silent, horrified by the girl's words.

"If I hadn't gone to Beach City," Connie asserted sadly. "Steven wouldn't have fallen for the gem's trap." A new wave of tears formed in her eyes.

"He died…and it's all my fault!" Without warning, she buried her head in her hands and began sobbing once more. Greg sat silently, unsure of what to say. The dismal reality of his son's fate seemed to hang on him, weighing down his mind and body with an unbearable burden.

Another monstrous shriek tore through the night.


	7. Ghost

Ghost

As the sun slowly climbed over the horizon, it dispelled the inky night sky, giving way to a brilliant dawn which set the sea ablaze with vibrant colors. The surreal sight hung just beyond Beach City, undisturbed by the crazed destruction that ravaged the once-halcyon seaside town. Connie watched the breathtaking disoplay from atop the lighthouse, relishing the rare moment of peace and quiet. Sleep had eluded her the prior evening, and upon waking a short while earlier she had resigned herself to staring at the endless motion of the ocean waves. As the tired girl stood silently, she reminisced about the beautiful sunrise.

 _Steven probably got to see this every morning…_

A breeze carried her attention back to reality, and she whirled about and examined the group of survivors strewn about the lighthouse. She found the group fast asleep, just like they had been last time she checked. Connie turned back to the horizon and leaned against the wall. She took a deep breath and shielded her eyes from the blinding glare of the sun. The scent of smoke wafted from the ruins of the city; even from where she stood, Connie could make out several small fires burning persistently among the remnants of the city. Several gem mutants scrabbled about the refuse, chittering and roaring incoherently. Their cries pierced the silence of the morning and sent shivers down Connie's spine. She shifted her position on the wall and peered down at the mindless creatures skittering in the distance. The young girl once again wondered what drove their incomprehensible ferocity.

The creatures' animosity confounded Connie; the more she thought about the monsters, the less she understood them. The mutants varied drastically in appearance and abilities, though they seemed to share a common hatred of humans. Connie didn't fully understand the origins of the creatures, or their purpose. She had encountered similar gems during her many adventures with Steven. She had even been forced to fight the monsters before. Memories of her encounter at the hospital flooded her consciousness, causing her to frown slightly.

 _That was a really stressful evening…_

Steven tried to explain the origins of the aliens, but his story had been fairly difficult to follow. From what she understood, the mutants were forced fusions of other gems created by evil gems for some diabolical purpose. Connie had entertained the idea that the fusions' rage was the product of the agony caused by being fused together, though she wasn't sure. When she had asked Steven, he had expressed significant discomfort with the whole idea, and Connie had felt disinclined to press the topic further. Now, amidst an apocalypse infested with the extraterrestrial terrors, she was beginning to regret not learning more while she had the chance.

Another wave of brutal cries pierced the morning, drawing Connie's focus from her idle thoughts. She listened to the cacophony of cries for a moment and perked up. Something seemed different about the sounds. She listened as the calls became increasingly frequent and unusual. Connie could swear that she heard something new in the noises. The gems sounded…afraid. The perturbed child walked over to the edge of the lighthouse rail and gazed out at the town. The mutants continued to explore the ruins for any sign of humans, seemingly unhindered by the shrieks of their kin. Then all at once, something changed.

Connie watched from her distant vantage point as a large group of gems appeared from behind one of the buildings and stampeded down the street, calling wildly. She watched as the group surged forward madly, reducing anything in their path to rubble. Soon, other aliens joined the herd, which continued to dash towards the outskirts of the city. Connie stood, utterly perplexed by the creatures' astonishing flight. She had never seen them act like this; they almost seemed scared of something…

 _But what could scare them like that?_

Looking towards the center of the desolate town, the mystified girl's questions were quickly answered.

Connie watched as a massive, writhing appendage crashed through the ceiling of a building. The tentacle flailed wildly about, reducing the structure to dust. She stood completely still, her eyes fixated on the massive thing wreaking havoc before her eyes. Without warning, the appendage swung down and wrapped around a small mutant, which was trying to flee. The gem let out a pitiful, pained cry as the tentacle slammed it violently against the wall of a building. The tentacle snapped up, lifting the smaller creature's limp body high into the air. Suddenly, the appendage slunk back into the ruins noiselessly, taking the hapless gem with it. Connie surveyed the cityscape for any sign of the enigmatic abomination she had just witnessed. Much to her dismay, she could find nothing among the ominously quiet town.

"What is all that racket?" came a voice behind her. Connie jumped at the unexpected intrusion, and turned to find a short, old lady standing there, an inquisitive frown on her face. The woman let out a lighthearted laugh and gave the startled girl a smile.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"That's okay," Connie said. "I…don't know what that was."

"Well, okay," the elderly woman replied. "I'm Nanafua."

"Connie," the young girl answered with a smile.

"I saw you come in yesterday," Nanafua commented. "I helped fix your ankle. How is it feeling?" Connie quickly inspected her ankle and gently pressed it to the ground.

"Better," she responded. "It still hurts a bit when I put pressure on it."

"It will get better," Nanafua offered optimistically. "Come on inside, everyone is beginning to wake up." The elderly woman smiled once again. Connie returned the friendly expression and followed her inside the lighthouse.

Slowly, the other residents began to wake up and begin to go about their business. The small room quickly became a hub of activity. Connie watched as the survivors went about their tasks diligently, folding their bedding and preparing food. Connie quickly folded her blanket and handed it to Jenny, who placed it in one corner of the room. Without warning, Mr. Fryman pressed a small plate of hash browns and a bottle of water into her hands. She thanked him and found a place to sit. Taking an eager swig of water, she sat and munched on her food as the other residents continued to rush about. Finally, the commotion died down, and one-by-one the survivors gathered in the middle of the room. Connie watched Nanafua walk into the middle of the crowd before speaking up.

"Alright everyone," she began. "We are low on supplies. We need to go get more from town." Connie cringed at the woman's well-intended suggestion. After the terrifying sight she had seen earlier, she doubted the town was safe.

"What do we need?" questioned Lars, who was leaning against a wall in the back.

"Food," Nanafua asserted. "The food that Mr. Fryman brought is almost out. If we don't get some more soon, we will not have anything to eat."

"But what about the monsters down there?" Peedee asked nervously. "How are we going to get past them?"

"Guys…" Connie piped up. Her voice went unnoticed by the crowd, who continued to converse.

"We just have to be careful," Nanafua answered calmly. "Jenny, I want you and Ronald to go down and search for the supplies."

"It's Ronald-o," Ronaldo corrected.

"Sorry," Nanafua replied. "You two be careful. Try to get back…"

"You can't go out there!" Connie yelled. The entire assembly turned their eyes to the young girl sitting against the wall, and she suddenly felt very nervous. She cleared her throat and continued her thought.

"There's something out there," she explained. "Something really dangerous. I was looking at the city this morning. I saw the gems running away from something. Suddenly, this giant tentacle appeared and destroyed a building. It even grabbed one of them. Whatever it was, it was massive, and it scared the other creatures away. It's not safe to go out there with that…thing…wandering around!" The survivors turned and whispered worriedly among one another, disquieted by Connie's startling story.

"So that was what caused the noise…" Nanafua commented. Connie nodded grimly.

"Well, how do we get food, then?" Jenny asked.

"What about Steven's place?" Lars asked. None of the aliens seem to be hanging around there."

"What!" Connie questioned indignantly. "You can't just go and loot his house! He would…"

"He's right," Greg added somberly. "The temple is the only place that's safe, and we really need the supplies. I'll go and see what I can find."

"Okay, then," Nanafua agreed. "You go. Everyone else should find something to do." The crowd quickly dispersed, and each resident returned to their individual tasks. Connie watched as Greg sauntered to the exit and walked down the stairwell. Without hesitating, she got up and followed him down to the bottom. Exiting out of the lighthouse, she found the solemn musician traveling down the hill.

"Greg!" she cried. He turned around and stopped, giving her time to catch up with him.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm coming with you," she replied adamantly.

"What?" he responded, surprised by the young girl's determination. "You shouldn't come. You're still hurt, and who knows what we might run into."

"All the more reason to let me come," she countered. "What if you get into trouble? Besides, I…I just want to go back."

Greg prepared a retort, but bit his tongue. He gazed into the young girl's eyes, which burned with grim resolve, and felt his resistance crumble.

"Okay," he relented. "But stay close to me. I don't want you getting hurt." Connie gave a nod of affirmation, and the duo headed down the hill towards the beach.

An unnatural quiet hung over the sandy shore. Devoid of the squawks of the seagulls, the wind and waves alone disturbed the resounding silence which blanketed the beach. The sun floated just above the horizon, warming the soft sand which shifted under Connie's feet as she trudged towards the former home of her best friend.

"It just doesn't feel…real," Greg commented. Connie looked at him, taking in the pain evident in his features.

"I mean…it's hard to believe how much has happened," he continued. "It feels like only yesterday Steven and I were sitting in the van, hanging out and playing music. Now, everything's destroyed and he's…" The grieving musician let out a pent-up breath.

"I feel the same way," Connie empathized. "I remember sitting with Steven here on the beach and reading _Unfamiliar Familiar_ and talking. Back then, this place seemed so…alive. It feels empty now.

"Well, it _is_ empty now," Greg commented. The duo fell silent as they reached the stairwell which led to Steven's front door. They exchanged a worried look before slowly walking up the steps. With baited breathe, the duo approached the screen door and readied themselves mentally. Greg gave a nod, which Connie returned, before opening the door. Stepping inside, the duo was greeted by a squalid, shadowy abode. The house was relatively unharmed, with most of the furniture intact. However, Connie couldn't help but shiver. A dark, indescribable presence seemed to pervade the abandoned home, filling the darkness with a gripping terror which clawed at Connie's mind. The young girl looked around the house before promptly freezing where she stood.

Steven started down at her from his room, his eyes gleaming in the dim light.


	8. The Message

The Message

Connie stared in disbelief at the apparition gazing down at her. The young girl simply couldn't process the sight before her. She rubbed her eyes and looked again, half-expecting her fallen friend to disappear into the shadows. Much to her dismay, Steven remained where he was, his bright, happy eyes twinkling with exuberant wonder. Connie quickly debated whether or not to get Greg's attention. She decided against it, and instead walked up the stairwell which led to Steven's room.

At the top of the stairwell, she looked around, only to find it deserted. Connie walked around the abandoned room, searching for any sign of her lost friend, but much to her disappointment, she found no trace of Steven. Connie walked over and sat down on the bed, her mind spinning. She desperately wanted to believe that Steven had survived the brutal attack from the gem, but found her hope slowly slipping away. She felt her chest tighten. The disturbed girl brought her knees to her chest and stifled a sob.

 _He didn't deserve to die like he did. Steven only ever wanted to help people and make friends. And the gem…he just didn't deserve it._

Connie reached into her pocket and pulled out a small crystal necklace, examining the small item in the morning light. Steven had given her the trinket as a gift shortly before the invasion. It was all she had to remember him by. Connie's eyes wandered around the room until settling on a small photo on Steven's bookshelf. The pained child walked over to the picture and picked it up.

 _It's a picture of me…_

Connie stared at the photo for a few seconds before putting it down again. She felt emotion well in her chest, and hurried back down the stairs. She just couldn't bear the painful reminder of her dead friend. Eager to find a distraction, Connie quickly located Greg, who was busy sifting through cabinets and drawers in search of supplies.

"Any luck?" she asked the aging musician, who paused and turned to the troubled girl.

"Yeah," he responded. "There's a lot of canned food and other snacks. I also found some batteries and a flashlight. I even got a bag to carry everything in!" Greg opened another cabinet and began rummaging through its contents.

"That's good," Connie affirmed. She walked over to the couch and sunk into it, her mind elsewhere. The duo said nothing for several minutes as Greg searched for more supplies. Finally, Connie broke the silence.

"Do you…this just doesn't," she began. Greg turned to her and gave an empathetic smile.

"Yeah," he said, "I know. It just doesn't feel right to be here. This place belonged to the gems and Steven. Now that they're...gone…it feels like we're trespassing. But we really need these supplies, and this is the only safe place in Beach City. It's what he would have wanted." Connie cracked a grim smile at Greg's mournful assent. She was glad that someone understood how she felt. Seeing that Greg would need some more time to gather supplies, Connie decided to explore the rest of the beach house. She noticed a knife on the counter, and quickly picked it up. Connie examined the blade for a few moments before deciding to take it. Wielding her newfound weapon, the young girl ventured into the back of the beach house.

As she proceeded into the temple, a feeling of dread came over her. Connie raised her knife and looked around the small chamber. The crystal temple seemed to radiate an air of foreboding which gnawed at Connie's resolve. Nevertheless the courageous child ventured into the abandoned sanctuary, her fear overcome by curiosity. The crystals on the walls glimmered with an otherworldly light. In the center lay the warp pad, which seemed to glow slightly. Connie stopped and examined the chamber. She had used the warp a few times, and had found the experience exciting. More memories resurfaced, brewing a mixture of emotions which roiled in her mind. As Connie continued to examine the chamber, something unusual caught her eye. She walked over to the warp pad and knelt down. Reaching out, she ran her hands along the surface of the magical platform, feeling the countless gashes and grooves which riddled the platform. The young girl stood back and examined the ominous message inscribed on the pad.

 _WE ARE AN ABHORRENT RACE. WE SUBSIST ON VIOLENCE AND THRIVE IN WAR AND STRIFE. ONLY OUR DESTRUCTION CAN BRING PEACE._

A shiver shot down Connie's spine as she reread the macabre inscription. She pondered the origin and purpose of the message, but failed to find a feasible explanation. Thoroughly spooked, Connie quickly made her way back to Greg.

"Find anything interesting back there?" the kind musician asked while packing the supplies he had managed to gather.

"Yeah," Connie answered. "There was this really creepy message inscribed on the warp pad." Greg began to inquire about the ominous missive, but held back when he noticed Connie's visible discomfort. The kind musician quickly changed the subject and enlisted Connie in inventorying the supplies he had scavenged. They worked together diligently to organize the rations and supplies. After a short while, the pair determined that they had ample supplies and prepared to leave the despoiled abode. As Connie gathered her wits and some supplies, she noticed a small item glimmering in the corner of the room. Intrigued by the small object, she put down the supplies she was carrying and moved to inspect the mysterious item. Upon reaching the object, Connie picked it up and looked it over. It was a small, smooth stone covered in dust. Connie quickly used her shirt sleeve to clean off the stone. She turned it over in her hand for a few moments before finally realizing what it was.

"It's Pearl!" she exclaimed with surprise. Astonished by her miraculous find, Connie quickly ran over to Greg to present her discovery.

"Greg!" she called energetically. "Look what I found!" She handed him the gemstone. He turned it over in his hand.

"Is this…Pearl's gem?" he asked. "This is great! It looks like it's intact."

"We should take it back to the lighthouse with us," Connie asserted."

"Yeah," Greg agreed. He handed the stone back to Connie, who placed it in her pocket. Without another thought, the duo exited the beach house and started down the beach. As the pair walked around the hill towards the lighthouse, they talked about plans for the survivors and the state of the group. However, as they reached the lighthouse, their conversation was interrupted by a piercing cry which rang out from the towering structure.

"That sounds like a gem," Greg commented. "And it's coming from inside the lighthouse!"

"C'mon," Connie urged, urgency evident in her voice. "Let's go!" Without another word, the two sprinted towards the towering structure.

Reaching the top of the lighthouse, the pair entered their headquarters to find a chaotic scene. The survivors scrambled about frantically, trying desperately to defend themselves from a massive spider-like gem monster which rampaged about the confined space, attempting to trample the humans with animalistic ferocity. Seeing her friends in danger, Connie dropped her supplies, brandished her knife, and dashed towards the mad creature. The lime-green alien noticed her approach and turned to face her. The mutant let out a roar before lowering its head and charging the advancing girl. Seeing the monster's attack, Connie sidestepped the attack, causing it to ram into a wall. The gem turned and emitted a furious growl.

"I think you just made it angrier," Lars commented from behind Connie. The brave girl assumed a fighting stance in preparation for the gem's next attack. Much to her surprise, the alien turned its attention to Peedee, who was attempting to reach the exit. The monster lowered its head and charged the fleeing boy, who let out a panicked yelp.

"Peedee!" Connie and Mr. Fryman cried out in unison. The boy tried to evade the ferocious alien, but failed to dodge the charge. The creature rammed directly into the fleeing child, sending him through a window and over the edge of the lighthouse balcony. Connie could hear his cries as he fell.

"Peedee!" Mr. Fryman cried hysterically. "No! Peedee! Please! Not Peedee!"

With a swift motion, Connie lunged forward and landed a swift blow to the creature's leg to get its attention. The gem staggered momentarily before quickly recovering. Much to her dismay, the rampaging creature once again ignored her, instead turning its attention to Jenny, who was struggling to escape. Seeing this, Connie threw a rock at the gem's head. The projectile did little to deter the creature; the alien simply lowered its head and charged Jenny, who rolled out of the way to avoid the attack. Unfortunately, the teen barely had the chance to gather her wits before the monster was upon her, trying to smash her with its massive appendages. Seeing this, Connie rushed towards the creature, her knife bared threateningly. She jumped and swung downwards in an attempt to strike the monster's head. However, the creature leaned back, causing her attack to make contact with thin air. Before Connie could land, the creature lashed out at her violently. Unable to dodge in midair, the attack hit Connie head-on. The force of the blow sent her flying across the room. Her head made contact with a wall, and the world fell away.


	9. See You

See You

Distant sounds seemed to echo in her ears as Connie lay prostrate on the cold ground. The scent of smoke lingered in the air, intermingling with the scent of the ocean. She rubbed her eyes and blinked, trying to clear her blurred vision. A sense of danger arose in her mind, and her body spurred to action. Struggling to her feet, she dusted herself off before looking around. The dazed girl found herself surrounded by the remnants of the lighthouse. The entire structure had been reduced to rubble; all that remained was a small section of the roof and a few sections of the walls. Memories of the attack on the lighthouse flashed through the stunned girl's mind.

 _How did I survive?_

Not wanting to risk another gem attack, the young girl carefully made her way through of the rubble, being careful to avoid errant shards of broken glass and metal. She surveyed the refuse as she walked, searching for any sign of the others. Rounding a wall section, she was greeted with a ghastly scene.

Connie stood speechless at the bodies strewn about the wreckage. Paralyzed with fear, she stared at the remains of her friends. She tried to keep moving, to leave the tragic scene behind, but her feet remained anchored to the decimated ground. Tears formed in her eyes as she struggled to come to terms with the carnage before her. Her small frame shook, and her breathing became short and rapid. She had only just met up with the others. She had finally found more humans.

Now she was alone again.

A rasping roar tore Connie's attention from her inner turmoil. She looked around for the source of the noise, but found no gems nearby. The sound came again, this time seemingly angrier. Spurred to action, the brave girl broke into a sprint through the rubble, jumping and weaving through the ruins to avoid her unseen assailant. She continued to sprint until the wreckage gave way to green grass. From the side of the hill, Connie gazed out at the remnants of Beach City. Countless gem mutants swarmed about the seaside city, crushing buildings and cars in a mad revel. Countless fires burned below, giving the formerly peaceful town a hellish appearance. A roar from behind Connie caused her to whirl around. A massive beige gem mutant stood atop a pile of rubble, eyeing the girl hungrily. Connie released a short gasp before turning and sprinting down the hill. She could hear the sounds of the monster pursuing her, roaring and bellowing as it bounded towards her. The terrified girl surged forward in a desperate attempt to reach to ruined city below. As she ran for her life, the gem slowly gained on her. The terrified girl reached the outskirts of the city with the monster mere moments behind. The beast chased her through the streets, roaring violently as it smashed anything between it and its hapless prey.

Rounding a corner, Connie noticed an opening in the side of a building. She peered over her shoulder before turning and slid through the hole. The exhausted girl pressed against the wall of the building and listened as the furious gem tromped about outside. Her heart pounded incessantly in her chest as she prayed for the alien to pass.

After a minute, the creature seemed to lose interest and wandered away. Connie slumped to the floor, gasping desperately for breath. She looked around her squalid shelter for any sign of gem creatures. Much to her relief, the area seemed clear. The exhausted girl took the opportunity to catch her breath and plan her next move.

 _I need to find somewhere else to go. Without the survivors, Beach City isn't safe. I need to find somewhere remote. Maybe there's a house a few miles away I can hide in…_

The sound of footfalls echoed through the abandoned building. Connie stood and listened as the noise drew closer. Exhausted and without a weapon, the cornered girl turned to leave the ruins but quickly reconsidered.

 _If I leave, I might run into the gem that was chasing me. I don't think I can escape again…_

Her train of though was interrupted when something grabbed her from behind. Connie opened her mouth to scream but found her cries muffled by her assailant.

"Shhh…" came a voice from behind her. "We don't want them noticing us." The terrified girl turned to find Greg standing behind her, a shotgun in his hands and a bag slung over his shoulder. The aging musician let go of his young friend and gave an apologetic smile.

"Sorry I startled you," he whispered. "I thought you were one of the gems."

"It's okay," Connie replied. "I'm just glad you're alive."

"Yeah," Greg responded. "It's good to see you, too." He reached into his bag and pulled out a bottle of water, which he handed to Connie. The tired girl gave a thankful smile before taking a large gulp of water. She took a few moments to catch her breath before handing the bottle back to Greg, who placed it back in his bag.

"How did you escape?" Connie asked quietly.

"When the gem attacked the lighthouse, I tried to fight it off," the kind musician explained, "but I wasn't strong enough to stop it. It…it toppled the whole thing. Everyone was trapped in the rubble, except for me. I did my best to try to free them, but a horde of gem mutants ambushed me. I barely escaped. I'm not sure what happened to everyone else. I've been preparing to go back and search for them. Do you know if anyone made it?" Connie looked at him, and a mix of pain and frustration crossed her features. She stifled a sob.

"They didn't," she answered tersely. The pained girl watched her companion's features contort with guilt as he slumped against the wall and put his head in his hands.

"I…I should have stayed and protected them," he lamented pitifully. "It's my fault they were trapped. If I had stayed, maybe they would have been able to get out." The sorrowful man let out a pained sob, and turned his gaze to the cracked tile floor.

Connie felt a pang of sympathy well in her chest. She walked over to Greg to console him, but was promptly interrupted by the shriek of a gem outside. She listened for the sound; much to her dismay, it came multiple times in succession, each time joined by the voices of other monsters, which seemed to draw closer with each cry. Sensing the coming danger, she turned to Greg, who continued to let his emotions flow."

"We need to get out of here," she said frantically. Greg remained propped against the wall, seemingly unaware of her desperate pleas.

"Come on!" Connie cried, the urgency in her voice reaching a crescendo. "If we don't get out of here, we'll both be done for!"

"What's the use?" Greg replied dejectedly. "Even if we do escape, we'll never get away from those things. We could run to the ends of the earth and still not be safe. There's nothing left to fight for. No one left to protect…" Connie stood speechless, taken aback by her friend's hopelessness. Suddenly, the young girl's frustration turned into anger. With a swift motion, she stepped forward and brought her hand sharply across his cheek. Greg stared up at her, his surprise plastered across his features.

"How could you say that!" she yelled furiously. "You can't just give up! We may be all that's left, but we can't just give up. Think about everyone who didn't make it. Think about Steven. They would have wanted us to survive. As long as we are still here, there's still hope for us. Still hope for humanity." Greg stared at the confident girl, hope shining in her eyes like a flame. The kind musician cracked a small smile and stood up.

"Your right," he said. "It's what Steven would have wanted." Greg walked over to the hole in the wall and peered outside, searching for any sign of the gems. Finding no sign of the brutal aliens, he motioned for Connie to follow him. The two intrepid humans ducked out of the building, keeping quiet as to avoid detection. Then duo quickly made their way down the street, rounded a corner, and emerged onto the boardwalk. Greg and Connie exchanged a quick glance before starting down the street towards the edge of town. As they proceeded, the sounds of the gems seemed to fall away, leaving only the howling of the wind blowing through the desolate townscape. As the town grew deathly quiet, Connie became increasingly disquieted.

"Something's wrong…" she commented worriedly. "They all just…stopped. I think that something dangerous is coming."

"I'm not sure," Greg responded hesitantly. "Maybe they're all down at the lighthouse."

"I don't think so," Connie countered fearfully. "There's nothing for them back at the lighthouse. I bet they're going to show up any…"

The young girl was interrupted as a gem charged through a nearby wall and rammed into her, sending her flying across the road. The surprised girl looked up to find her and Greg surrounded by a circle of vicious gem mutants. The monsters thrashed and snarled like rabid dogs, but inexplicably kept their distance from her. Connie got to her feet and looked around the vile pack, eyeing each of her extraterrestrial assailants suspiciously. The curious girl walked to the center of the pack and lowered into a fighting stance, looking for some way to outmaneuver the maddened creatures.

"They're not attacking us," Connie commented. "Why aren't they doing anything?"

"Because they're scared of me," a familiar voice from behind her answered. Connie whirled about to find Steven standing in the middle of the pack, a sick grin on his face. The half-gem's body was covered in pink crystalline growths, which coiled and clung to his small form like vines. A crystal knife protruded from his shoulder, the blade stained the same color as his wild, bloodshot eyes. The deformed boy took an unsteady step forward and gave Connie a saddened look.

"Steven?" Connie asked in disbelief. "What…how…why…"

"Because I'm so lonely," he replied, pain ringing in every word. "Won't you join me? Please? It's what I really want." Connie retreated in an attempt to escape the horrifying specter, but found her escape blocked by the gem monsters. She turned her attention to her demented friend, who continued to steadily advance towards her.

"Come on, Connie," Steven said cheerfully. "Aren't we jam buds?" Connie shrunk back in terror.

Finally, the deformed boy stopped. Grabbing the hilt of the knife buried in his shoulder, he drew the weapon and artfully twirled it. Before Connie could react, the short half-gem was upon her. Unable to dodge his lightning-fast assault, the young girl shut her eyes and prepared for the end.

* * *

Connie awoke with a startled cry. The horrified girl sat up abruptly, but a flare of pain in her head and chest caused her to fall back against the mattress. Panic continued to roil in her mind as she looked about, panting and shivering. She felt a hand grab hers, and looked over to find Greg staring at her, concern evident in his features.

"Hey, kiddo," he said kindheartedly. "It's okay. It was just a dream. You're safe." Connie felt her fears fade away as she stared into the kind musician's cool gaze. The panicked girl's breathing quickly returned to normal.

"It's good to see you awake," came another voice.

Connie turned to find a familiar pale gem sitting by her side.

* * *

A word from the author:

Hello!  
Today marks the 1 year anniversary of the first chapter of my first fanfiction. It's been an amazing year, and I'm so grateful for the continued support of my readers. I wanted to take a moment and thank you for your support. Whether you've been with me since the very beginning or you just found my work today, I'm so grateful that you took the time to enjoy my writing. Feel free to give me feedback or suggestions. I take them very seriously. As always, please don't forget to follow, favorite, and share with your friends!

-Lotus


	10. Inspire You

Inspire You

Connie sat silently, watching as steam slowly rose from her cup of tea. She blew on the piping hot drink and took a sip, recoiling as the scalding liquid burned her tongue. The young girl set down her cup and leaned forward. She wondered which was more amazing: that Pearl was alive and well, or that the pale gem managed to conjure a teapot, cups, and tea in the midst of an apocalypse. Connie decided not to question her good fortune; all she cared about was having one of the gems with her. She looked over at the alien warrior, who was locked in an animated conversation with Greg and Nanafua. The young girl stood and walked over to the small group, who seemed too involved in their conversation to notice her. Greg's attention turned to her as she sat down, and he gave a bright smile which belied his exhaustion.

"Hey, Connie," he asked. "How's your arm feeling?" The young girl looked down at her arm, which was wrapped in a makeshift sling. She tried to move it, flinching as the broken appendage protested the movement.

"It still hurts," she replied with a weak smile. "And my headache still hasn't gotten any better."

"I'm sorry," Nanafua commented sympathetically. "I wish we could do more to help you. As it is, we are running low on supplies, and with the recent attack, it's too dangerous to send anyone out to get more."

Connie grimaced. The injured girl turned her attention to the other side of the room, where a small memorial sat silently against the wall. The vigor that had flowed through the small community had faded away after the unexpected attack on the lighthouse. The survivors sauntered about the lighthouse, grimly going about their daily business as if waiting for their inevitable demise.

"Connie?" came Greg's concerned voice. The young girl's attention snapped back to reality, and she noticed the aging musician staring at her with concern.

"Sorry, I zoned out for a sec," she said. "What did you say?"

"I said, I'm glad you made it out okay," Greg repeated. "We lost Peedee, Jenny, Lars, and Mr. Fryman when the gem attacked. I don't know what we would have done if we'd lost you too." Connie struggled to give a half-hearted smile before turning her attention to Pearl, who was contentedly sipping her tea.

"Pearl?" Connie asked quietly, causing the gem's focus to turn to her.

"Yes Connie?" the polite gem responded.

"What happened to the other gems?" Connie queried. She watched her mentor's features contort, pain and regret clouding her features.

"A gem ambushed us at the temple. It shattered Amethyst and disguised itself as her. We discovered the truth, and I remember trying to stop it before…" The gem warrior hesitated momentarily. "…I can't remember. Everything just…went black. The next thing I remember is waking up here. I don't know what happened to Garnet. All I know is that she and Steven disappeared, along with the Homeworld assassin." The pale gem's gaze met Connie's, and they remained fixated on one another for a moment.

"What happened to Steven?" Pearl asked her injured pupil. "Greg told me that he…didn't make it…but no one seems to know what happened to him. I was hoping you might know."

Brutal memories flooded Connie's consciousness, and a wave of guilt rushed through her. She wrapped her working arm around her knees and choked back tears. In an instant, Pearl was beside her, a look of concern plastered on her face. Connie let out a single pitiful sob before looking up at the sympathetic gem.

"After I hadn't heard from Steven in a few days, I went to the temple to see if he was okay. The gem ambushed me there. It made me call Steven and lure him back to the beach before knocking me out. When I came to, it had captured Steven and taken us to some floating mountain. Lion showed up and tried to save us, but it got Steven before we could warp away. By the time Lion and I got back there, the gem was gone, and so was Steven…"

Connie sat silently as Pearl struggled to process the horrifying reality of the situation. Suddenly, a glimmer of realization sparked in the pale gem's eyes, and she turned to Connie with a newfound curiosity.

"Did you ever find Steven afterwards…any sign of him at all?" she asked.

"No…" Connie replied sadly. "I found evidence that Steven and the gem had fought, but nothing else. I just assumed that…even though he was strong, the assassin had been way too powerful for him or me…there's no way he could…"

"He might have…" Pearl began, daring to let a note of hope rise in her voice. "Maybe he got away, and you just couldn't find him. He might have been hurt, which is why he couldn't get back to Beach City. We need to go search for him!"

"Pearl?" Greg asked worriedly. "I don't think that's a good idea. I want to believe that Steven's alive too, but we haven't heard from him since this all started. I doubt that…"

"We need to try!" the pale gem countered indignantly. "What if he's still out there? What if he needs us? We can't just give up on him!"

"We're not," Nanafua added quietly. "We would go look for Steven and the other missing residents if we could, but with only a few of us left, we can't afford to lose anyone else."

"If any of you got hurt out there, Steven would do anything to save you!" Pearl replied with exasperation. "How can you just sit here and act like he doesn't matter?" She turned to Greg.

"He's your _son!_ " The aging musician hung his head low; Connie watched as he wiped his eyes before standing and walking away.

"We just can't look for him right now," Nanafua insisted calmly. "We can't even send anyone outside to look fort supplies."

"Then I'll go myself!" Pearl stated obstinately. The pale gem got up and ran out of the room without another word. Connie watched her leave, debating whether or not to follow the desperate gem.

 _She's not safe out there alone…I have a bad feeling about this._ The injured girl shot up and dashed out of the room and down the stairs. Stepping out onto the grassy hillside, she turned around and spotted Pearl walking down the Beach towards the remnants of the temple. Connie took off down the hill in a desperate attempt to catch up with the indignant alien. She reached the bottom of the hill in record time and surged down the beach after Pearl. Seeing her in the distance, the hurt girl called out to her friend.

"Pearl! Peeeeearl!" Hearing her cries, the polite gem turned and waited for the short human to catch up. Connie reached her and knelt down, gasping desperately for air.

"Connie?" Pearl asked. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm coming with you." she answered. The pale gem nodded in affirmation, and they continued down the beach towards the looming remains of the temple.

"Where did you say the assassin took you?" Pearl questioned.

"I think it was called the 'Sky Spire'," Connie replied.

Reaching the beach house, the brave pair entered it to find the silent dwelling ravaged. Pieces of furniture lay scattered about the house, and pieces of wood and metal jutted from the walls like jagged teeth. Pearl grew increasingly uneasy as she surveyed the wreckage that was once her home.

"It looks like the gem mutants were here," the pale gem commented.

"I'm not sure," Connie said. "They always seemed to avoid this area before. Why would they do this all of a sudden?"

"I don't know," Pearl responded tersely. "Follow me." The gem warrior slowly maneuvered through the destroyed house, followed closely by Connie. Reaching the back of the temple, Pearl stopped at the entrance to her room. The magical warrior's gem began to glow, and the extradimensional door slid open. Connie peered inside to find several cascading waterfalls floating above a pool of crystal-clear water which reflected the azure sky.

"Wait here, Connie," Pearl instructed. Connie gave a curt nod and watched as she entered the mystical room. The door closed behind the pale gem, leaving the young girl alone in the decrepit abode. Connie whirled about and surveyed the house for any sign of danger. Shadows seemed to slither along the walls; feeling uneasy, the injured girl took a fighting stance. She stepped back slowly and took a deep breath.

A sound behind Connie caused her to jump. She whirled around to find Pearl standing in the magical doorway, grinning slightly at her companion's reaction. In her hands were a sheathed sword and the bubbled remains of an unidentifiable gem artifact. The gem warrior unsheathed the weapon and handed it to Connie. The young girl inspected the blade, noting its immaculate condition. She looked up to find Pearl examining at the ruined warp pad.

"This is…unsettling," the pale gem commented, staring down at the cryptic message carved in the magical platform. "Regardless, the warp pad is too damaged to operate. We'll have to find another way to the Sky Spire." Connie stared up at her determined companion, and her own resolve began to falter.

"Do you really think we'll find Steven?" Connie asked hesitantly. "And even if we do, how will we fix all this?" Pearl turned back to her and gave a confident smile.

"I think we will," she replied. "And I have a plan."

* * *

A word from the author:

Hello everyone,  
Recently I came up with ideas for some other fics that I really want to write. In addition, I feel that this story is not quite going in the direction that I had planned. Thus, this fic may be going on hiatus for a while. I apologize for stopping so abruptly, but promise to continue putting out weekly content. Look out for new stories coming soon, and don't forget to follow favorite, and comment!

-Lotus


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